Biography

Artemios Ventouris Roussos, 15 June 1946, Alexandria, Egypt. This multi-lingual Greeks father was a semi-professional classical guitarist, and his mother a singer. At music college in Athens, Roussos mastered trumpet, double bass, organ and bouzouki. These talents were put to commercial use in the Idols and We Five, early Greek pop bands that enjoyed local commercial success in the early to mid-60s. Roussos then found widespread European success with Aphrodites Child, formed by Roussos, Vangelis Papathanassiou (who later enjoyed international acclaim as Vangelis), Anargyros Silver Koulouris and Lucas Sideras. The groups first single was 1968s million-selling Rain And Tears, and later European hits included I Want To Live and Let Me Love, Let Me Live, characterised by Roussos strident, quasi-operatic vocals.